Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Don’t Leave Me This Way


Sorry Thelma (Houston, for those of you lacking disco knowledge), but The Communards version is SO much better and dancier and raise-the-roof-ier than yours. But hey! Your dress is really pretty.

Tip Of The Day: My heart is full of love and it’s all for you… also, for Steve and Barry’s. Plus, a brief tirade/rant/discussion of the foibles of ITunes and their lack of quality 80’s music.

Tip For Tomorrow: How are you celebrating the birth of our nation? Were your plans disrupted by the gas prices, or did you decide that spending $100 to fill your tank is The American Way and only the Commies would stay home this holiday? I’ll tell you how I’m partying if you’ll share, too.

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal: In case you're not addicted to obscure 80’s pop hits like me, the song up there is The Communards version of Don’t Leave Me This Way. But more on that later. Right now, I must share with you Very Big Sale News.

Steve and Barry’s is having another $8.98 sale AS WE SPEAK. If you need just a few more things to get you through the summer season, skibble on down to S&B and pick up a piece of cheap happiness. They have dress shirts for women in really form-flattering cuts, fun T’s, and more ballet flats than you can shake Julliard at.

Shockingly, I didn’t buy a thing at the sale. Probably because I got a fresh load of goodies back from my seamstress today, and everything else pales in comparison. Which leads me to this other bit of sharing:

Tip That Seems Expensive, But Is Really A Frugal Thing To Do. Get a seamstress. Personally, I have two. Larue you know, and she sews my fabulous Ren Fest costumes like this. I also work with Cheryl, who does the really difficult mending that I can’t handle. Which would be everything beyond replacing buttons.

Larue is FREE for me, seeing as how we are BFF and all. Cheryl does charge, but at a fraction of what I’d pay at the mall. Yes, malls have seamstress shops. And they are a total rip off. For example, Cheryl charged me $25 to hem a pair of jeans (using the coordinating thread and all), raise the lining on a skirt, and remove some annoying hip pockets from a T-shirt dress. At the mall, just to have the pants hemmed would have been $25.

So, instead of throwing away a perfectly good item of clothing because the seam ripped or the pockets are unflattering, bring it to a professional. $10 for a hem repair is cheaper than buying a whole new pair of pants.

Where can you find a good, inexpensive seamstress? Check Craigslist, your local Yellow Pages, even those bulletin boards at the grocery store. Better still, ask around at work. Chances are SOMEONE there knows a sewer. Or, learn to sew yourself. Ugh. Just typing that gave me hives.

Now on to my beef with ITunes. I think I shall put it in an “open letter” format. Isn’t that what all the cool bloggers do?

Dear ITunes,

What do you have against obscure 80’s pop tunes? And Led Zeppelin? Which are two polar opposite music forms, I agree, but are both necessary for my IPod.

Case in point, I searched and searched your hallowed halls for days to find the English version of Major Tom, but all I found was the German one and weird, 7-minute-long disco versions. You have Big In Japan, but not Major Tom? How is this possible?

Also, why do you not carry the radio version of The Break-up Song? It is the greatest Greg Kihn song of all time, if not the greatest song of the 80’s. And don’t try to foist off that lame-ass version of Tired Of Toein’ The Line on me. That is NOT the version from the ground-breaking album, Son Of Rock and Roll, THIS one is. You are pissing me AND Rocky Burnette OFF.

Finally, what is this rumor my Dad brought to me about my songs being taken away? Is it true that there is a maximum number of times I can listen to a song before it is unceremoniously yanked from my IPod?

Do you not understand that I will listen to the same song over and over again until my brain threatens to go on strike? Again? To take that right away from me is unconstitutional, unfair, and just plain MEAN. I expect more for my 99 cents.

However, thank you for having MMMBop available.

Sincerely, The Cheap Chick

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, but in exchange for your fancy Ren Fest garments I get fashion interventions for myself and my children, and dance lessons. And such.

And who the hell are the Communards? I also must speak on Thelma's behalf - no one sings it better than her. Especially not the pantywaist lead singer of the Communards. However, Rocky's video is FAB. Love the shiny jumpsuits.

Michelle said...

I've had a similar problem with iTunes. It stinks. :( However, it is good to know that I can get MMM Bop! on iTunes. I've been living in a Hanson void for far too long.

Anonymous said...

I still haven't joined the iPod gang. Sigh. I want to, I really do, but it seems like a project that will make me forget about all my other responsibilities.

Anonymous said...

I hate to bring the bad news, but it looks as though Steve and Berry's will be going into serious bankruptcy. There main creditor, GE Financial Services, is apparently reluctant to lend them any more money, and their new stores just ain't makin' it. Hope I'm wrong, but Bloomberg's has had a lot of info on the subject.

Doc

Anonymous said...

Ooops. Steve and Barry's.

Doc

Anonymous said...

Wow, I forgot completely about that Major Tom song. I at first thought you were confusing Space Oddity by David Bowie.